Railway-toilet.



G. V. A. BROWN.

RAILWAY TOILET.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3, 1911.

Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGIIAPH c0.. WASHINGTON. D. C.

G. V. A. BROWN.

RAILWAY TOILET.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3. 1911.

Patented Mar.5, 1912.

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un/[Meson COLUMBIA PLANDGIAUH CO" WASMINmN. D. C

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

U GEORGE V. A. BROWN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

RAILWAY-TOILET.

' siding at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Railway-Toilets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to railway toilets,

and has special reference to water closets designed particularly for use on railway passenger cars.

It is customary for porters or other attendants, following rules and regulations prescribed for the purpose, to lock the doors of toilet compartments when a train is traveling within city limits or standing at a station, in order to prevent deposits of excreta and effete matter on the tracks, thus depriving the passengers of the use of the toilets, which is often of great inconvenience and a cause of injury to the health and comfort of those under the urgent necessity of responding to the demands of nature.

The object of the invention is to provide means under the control of a porter or attendant whereby the discharge of excretions may be prevented While the passengers are permitted use of the toilets at the times and under the conditions mentioned, whereby the above-stated objections to the customary practice are avoided.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectional plan view of the toilet compartment of a railway car, showing the application of the invention. Fig.

2 is a vertical section on the line 22 of Fig. 1, showing the dropper valve locked against movement. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail section onthe line 44 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a sectional rear elevation, showing a modified construction. Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the gearing shown in Fig. 5, with parts shown in section.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a toilet compartment of a railway car, within which is arranged the toilet bowl or hopper 1, said bowl having the usual outlet 2 and lid'or cover 3, the latter being loosely pivoted on a rock shaft 4. The outlet 2 is adapted to be closed by a dropper valve, pan or receptacle 5 mounted on a rock shaft 6 Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 3, 1911.

Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

Serial No. 624,751.

provided with a crank'arm 7 connected by a link 8 with an operating lever 9 fixed to the shaft 1. Connected with said lever 9 is a counterweight arm 10, normally operating to hold the dropper valve and lever in valveclosing position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 2. The user of the toilet may manually depress the lever, under normal conditions, to swing the dropper valve downward for discharge of the excreta, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

Means are provided to enable a porter or attendant from the outside of the compartment, to lock the lever against movement and prevent the dropper valve from being opened. Such means include a stop arm or member 11. concaved to receive and engage the counterweight 10. This stop arm is normally arranged out of the path of movement of the counterweight 10 and is carried by a rock shaft 12 journaled in a bracket 13 and adapted for movement to throw the stop arm into and out of the path of the counterweight, as indieated in full and dotted lines in Fig. 2. On said shaft 12 is a beveled gear 14 meshing with a similar gear 15 on the upper end of a Vertical transmission shaft 16 journaled in said bearing and in the floor of the compartment A, below which the lower end of said shaft extends and carries a beveled gear 17.

A horizontal transmission shaft 18, arranged below the floor of the compartment, is provided at one end with a beveled gear 19 meshing with the gear 17. The opposite end' of said shaft 18 carries a beveled gear 20 meshing with a similar gear 21 on the lower end of a vertical operating shaft 22 extending upwardly through the floor and arranged in the passageway outside of the compartment. The upper end of the shaft 22 is journaled in a bracket 23 having a ringshaped body portion 24 formed with an upwardly extending arm 25. On said upper end of the shaft 22 is a beveled gear 26 meshing with a beveled drive gear 27 journaled on the bracket body 24. The drive gear is provided with an actuating crank 28, whereby, through the train of gearing described, the porter or attendant, from a position outside the compartment, may throw the stop-arm into or out of operation, to lock the lever from movement or free it for movement. It will thus be understoodthat when the train is approaching a station the porter or attendant, by turning the drive gear, may look the dumping mechanism in closed position and from movement thus preventing the dumping of excreta while the train is standing or pasing through the city or town limits. This locking action, does not, however, deprive the passengers of the use of the toilet, the advantages of which will be apparent, and does not necessitate the entrance of the porter into the compartment so that the locking mechanism may be thrown or set whether or not the compartment is occupied and later released for the normal use of the appliance.

In order to prevent the release of the holding arm when set and the operation of the dumping lever, a locking device may be provided consisting of a disk 29 slidably mounted on the bracket body 24so as to be thrown into and out of locking engagement with the teeth of the gear 26, said disk having an operating handle 30 Whose stem slides in a guide slot 31 having an offset 82 to hold the disk in retracted position. If desired, the arm of the crank 28 may be formed with a slot 33 adapted" to register with a slot 34 in an arm 35 projecting from the bracket, through which slots the hasp of an ordinary padlock may be passed to lock the gearing against movement by unauthorized persons.

In the construction shown in Figs. 5 and 6, a horizontal shaft 36 is ournaled in bearing brackets 37 within the compartment and extends at one end outside the compartment. Adjustably mounted on the inner end of the shaft, by means of a set screw 38, is a crank arm 89 to which is attached the lower end of a holding chain 40, attached at its upper end to the counterweight arm 10. The outer end of the shaft is also journaled in a ringshaped bracket 41 supported by said shaft and by an arm 42 engaging a supporting bracket 43. Fixed to the shaft within the bracket 41 is a beveled gear 44 with which meshes a drive gear 45 provided with. an operating handle or crank 46, whereby the shaft may be turned to cause the crank arm to tighten or slacken the chain to hold the lever 9 from movement or permit it to be moved. By the adjustability of thecrank arm, said arm may be set to different angles to suit different conditions of service. The crank handle 46 may be'locked in thrown position by a locking disk or detent pivotally mounted in the body of the bracket 41 so as to be moved into and out of locking engagement with the teeth of the gear 44, said disk having a milled finger grip portion 48. If desired, the arm of the crank 46 may be formed with a slot 49 to register with a slot 50 in the arm 42, through which slots the hasp of a padlock may be passed to lock the gearing against movement by unauthorized persons.

Having thus described the invention, I claim 1. In a toilet appliance of the character described, the combination of a compartment, a hopper therein, a dropper valve, a lever for tilting the same, means for holding said lever from actuating movement, gearing for throwing said holding means into and out of action, an operating device on the exterior of the compartment for actuating said gearing, and means associated with said operating device for locking'said gearing in lever-holding position.

2. In a toilet appliance of the character described, the combination of a. hopper, a

dropper valve, a lever for normally tilting the same, means for holding said lever from actuating movement, gearing for throwing said holding means into and out of action, and means for locking said gearing leverholding position.

In a toilet appliance of the character described, the combination of a hopper, a dropper valve, a lever for tilting the same,

said lever having a counterweight arm for normally maintaining it in valve-closing position, means for holding said lever from actuating movement, gearing for throwing said holding means into and out of action, and means for locking said gearing in lever holding position.

In test mony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE V. A. BROI/VN. I/Vitnesses H. H. Boonn, MAX. G. STURM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

